Lack of a cutting edge frustrates Hatters boss

Mike Simmonds

Hatters boss Nathan Jones was left with a tinge of disappointment that his side didn’t have enough cutting edge during their goalless draw at Morecambe on Tuesday night.

The visitors created a host of good opportunities, particularly in the first half, as although Dan Potts and Harry Cornick were denied by Shrimps keeper Barry Roche, Potts in spectacular style, time and time again, Luton’s final ball was often cut out.

I thought as an away performance, we moved it well, put it into our front men, our front men were a handful all night, and we just probably lacked a little bit of cutting edge.

Nathan Jones

Jones said: “I was pleased for most of the night on our performance.

“I think we started very, very well, in terms of a real intensity about us, we got into some great areas consistently, tested the keeper early, it’s just we probably lacked a little bit of cutting edge.

“They came into it late on and could have nicked it with a few balls across the box, but I thought as an away performance, we moved it well, put it into our front men, our front men were a handful all night, and we just probably lacked a little bit of cutting edge.

“As we got in so many good areas, especially the right hand side, we just didn’t pick anyone out, didn’t have anyone going across the near, didn’t get on the end of anything.

“It’s probably cost us as I thought we had enough opportunities in their box.

“We’ll look at it as we’re still unbeaten and just a tinge of disappointment as normally we show good bits of quality in the box, so it’s the only disappointing thing.”

Luton made a superb start to the game in terms of tempo, as they pushed Morecambe back in the early stages, but that opening goal just wouldn’t come as Jones continued: “I thought we were right at it, for an away side we were on the front foot, we were a bit relentless with our play.

“We got in, had a little bit of a counter attacking threat as well, I’m just disappointed with our quality in the final third.

“We’ll have to have look again as I’ve just seen them now, whether it was we didn’t pick anyone out? Or the runs weren’t good enough?

“But it seemed to me we had about 20 opportunities in terms of putting the ball in the box, getting in areas where we just had to pick someone out, pick one person out and we didn’t do that.

“That’s the only disappointing thing as we’ve come away, kept a clean sheet, we’ve defended most of the night well, so hard to be too disappointed, but we will be as we would have liked to go four on the bounce.”

Although Luton failed to make it four straight wins for the first time since the 2015-16 season, Jones still felt it had been a good result on their travels, adding: “It would be disrespectful for Morecambe if we were to say it’s two points dropped.

“They’re a side that have got decent players, put you under pressure, they’ve got threats, especially set-plays.

“But there were some wonderful performances out there, young (Aaron) Jarvis making his league debut.

“I’m just a little bit disappointed because I felt that one goal would have won it tonight and all I said to them was just try and win the game, because that’s all we wanted.”

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